Very High Speed-Hydro Ski Structure (Vhs-Hss)

ABSTRACT

The disclosed is for a specifically designed ski structure to support a vessel&#39;s hull above the water surface while the vessel is underway so that the hull encounters minimal or no resistance from the water, the viscosity of which is 800 times greater than air. The skis, which may number more than two per vessel, are arranged in parallel to the vessel&#39;s direction of travel and support the hull from beneath via stanchions that may be of a fixed nature or capable of lifting and lowering the hull relative to the ski structures&#39; planing position on the water surface. The skis would normally be positioned to the sides of the hull&#39;s beam to impart maximum stability to the vessel. The ski structures are designed to have multiple functions: a.) to enable sea vessels to travel at very much higher speeds than conventional designs afford; b.) To provide a lightweight, rigid structure that is able to be reinforced within itself; c.) Through their design shape and internal reinforcing to be able to bear considerable weight imposed by the vessel and its cargo; d.) To enclose air (or other friction reducing agents) in entrapment zones between the underside of the skis and the water surface; e.) To provide directional stability to the vessel through the structures&#39; design elements; f.) To contribute wave piercing attributes through the structures&#39; design elements; g.) To enable the ski structures to shed water readily due to the structures&#39; design elements; h.) To provide watertight housing within the structures&#39; for fuel and/or cargo storage and for housing the vessel&#39;s motors and drive trains (larger vessels). The ski structures may be made from any suitable metals, timber, plastics or composites thereof. Each ski structure generally consists of two complementary ski surfaces (with upward curves at their leading or entry points). The main ski surface ( 1 ) has a pair of assist skis or “glides”( 2 ) that are arranged on either side of the main ski surface ( 1 ). These elements are attached to and supported by the ski structure&#39;s main assembly, a longitudinal shell ( 3 ), which may or may not contain reinforcing ( 4 ) within its watertight housing ( 6 ) that may also be utilised to house fuel and the vessel&#39;s engines and drive train components on larger scale vessels. The longitudinal shell ( 3 ), front-on in cross section, has the shape of an inverted ‘U’ the ends or edges ( 5 ) of which impart a keel-like activity to the ski structures to provide directional stability and prevent yawing. The edges ( 5 ) also provide an air entrapment zone ( 7 ) between them and the underside of the main ski surface ( 1 ) and the water surface where air, or any friction reducing agent, may be induced into the zone to provide a friction relieving interface between the water surface and ski undersides. The assist skis ( 2 ) are attached to the assembly at a lower level than the main ski surface ( 1 ) and become the main contact with the water surface at speed, allowing a cushion of air to be provided in the entrapment zone ( 7 ) for the main ski surface ( 1 ). The assist skis may also be designed to provide an air entrapment zone of their own by having a downward lip on their outer extremities running the length of the skis.

The VHS-HSS concept is specifically designed to overcome the disadvantageous characteristics of slow speed and heavy fuel consumption inherent in all modern day marine vessel designs, and to reduce the high construction costs imposed on boat manufacturing by the requirement to design hulls to overcome water resistance as much as possible.

The concept achieves these objectives by providing the means whereby a vessel's hull can be supported out of contact with the water when underway by riding on an extremely efficient ski assembly and thus largely avoiding the viscosity of the water, which is 800 times that of air. (This concept shares the intention of the hydrofoil concept, but achieves the result in a completely different and more efficient manner.)

The hydro ski structure is a novel invention in as much as it has to incorporate elements that permit it to perform the normal functions of a boat hull but in an extraordinary manner that has never previously been done in maritime history.

The ski structure described here provides the strength and robustness to support a vessel of considerable tonnage on its structure. It incorporates unique elements to assist the structure and its payload to achieve fuel and speed efficiencies never previously attained.

The ski structures themselves have no moving parts, but may have added to them steerage systems, or rams for raising and lowering the ski structures relative to the vessel's hull, or other lifting elements for special purposes.

The skis' design and roles are multi-fold:

1. To allow marine vessels considerable speed gains over contemporary designs by eliminating or considerably reducing the water resistance on the hull proper and the ski structures themseles.

2. To provide a friction relieving interface of air or other suitable “lubricant” between the skis and the water surface.

3. To effect considerable fuel efficiencies when measured against contemporary hulls.

4. To reduce fossil fuel pollution as a consequence of the speed attained and other fuel efficiency factors.

5. To provide wave-piercing characteristics to the vessel through the ski design.

6. To impart greater stability to a vessel underway by placing the weight bearing points of the hull at the outside edges of the beam.

7. To eliminate the need for special bow and underwater hull designs that add greatly to manufacturing costs.

8. To allow the housing of fuel and propulsion units within the ski structures on sufficiently large vessels.

9. To enable vessels to operate in very shallow waters where hydrofoils and displacements hulls can not venture.

10. To provide environmental advantages such as reducing damage to sea life as a consequence of the shallow operating draught, and a greatly reduced wash when operating in enclosed waters.

The ski design, while having no moving parts, is capable of trapping a cushion of air within the ski surface area to reduce friction between the water surface and underside of the ski. The skis have keel-like edges that run the length of the skis that aid the air entrapment and provide directional stability and prevent yawing.

The ski structure, by being aligned to the direction of travel (unlike hydrofoils whose foils are opposed or diagonal to the direction of travel), affords theoretical speeds of hundreds of knots. 

1-13. (canceled)
 14. A ski structure comprising: an air tight housing defined by an inverted U-shaped shell and a floor extending between opposite sides of said U-shaped shell, said floor defining a main ski surface, said ski structure being adapted to support a boat hull above the water surface while underway.
 15. A ski structure as claimed in claim 14 wherein said inverted U-shaped shell has opposite side edges extending downwardly below said main ski surface, said edges extending the length of said shell to define keels to impart directional stability to the ski structure.
 16. A ski structure as claimed in claim 15 wherein said downward extending edges provide a means of entrapping air and froth or other friction relieving agents between them and the main ski surface and the water surface to provide a cushion of air/froth for reducing friction between the skis and water.
 17. A ski structure as claimed in claim 14 and including a pair of assist skis or glides on opposite outer sides of said inverted U-shaped shell.
 18. A ski structure as claimed in claim 17 wherein said skis or glides extend the length of the shell and are positioned at a slightly lower level than said main ski surface, said skis or glides being adapted to plane on the surface of the water when at speed.
 19. A ski structure as claimed in claim 17 wherein said skis or glides have downwardly extending lips at their outer ends.
 20. A ski structure as claimed in claim 14 and including reinforcing within said airtight housing between said floor and said U-shaped shell.
 21. A marine vessel comprising: a boat hull; ski structures for supporting said boat hull above a water surface whilst underway, each said ski structure having an air tight housing defined by an inverted U-shaped shell, and a floor extending between opposite sides of said U-shaped shell, said floor defining a main ski surface.
 22. A marine vessel as claimed in claim 21 wherein said inverted U-shaped shell has edges extending downwardly below said main ski surface, said edges extending the length of said shell to define keels to impart directional stability to the ski structure.
 23. A marine vessel as claimed in claim 22 and including a pair of assist skis or glides on opposite outer sides of said inverted U-shaped shell.
 24. A marine vessel as claimed in claim 23 wherein said skis or glides extend the length of the shell and are positioned at a lower level than said main ski surface, said skis or glides being adapted to plane on the surface of the water when at speed.
 25. A marine vessel as claimed in claim 21 wherein said ski structures are aligned parallel to the boat's hull and extend in the same direction of travel as said hull.
 26. A marine vessel as claimed in claim 21 and including stanchions between said hull and said ski structures.
 27. A ski structure for use with a boat hull, said ski structure comprising: an air tight housing defined by an inverted U-shaped shell and a floor extending between opposite sides of said U-shaped shell, said floor defining a main ski surface; reinforcing within said housing between said floor and said U-shaped shell; and a pair of skis or glides on respective opposite sides of said U-shaped shell, said ski structure being adapted to support said boat hull above the water surface while underway.
 28. A ski structure as claimed in claim 27 wherein said inverted U-shaped shell has opposite side edges extending downwardly below said main ski surface.
 29. A ski structure as claimed in claim 28 wherein said skis are positioned below said floor and above said side edges of said inverted U-shaped shell. 